September 2nd, 2010

PC Pro School

PC Pro Schools have been something of a phenomenon over the past years. Schools suddenly became much more colorful as reminders and important details were stuck to desks, phones, monitors and walls. The variety of luminous or pastel colors certainly add a little vibrancy to an office.

Invented by accident by two 3M employees in 1975, the product was initially launched in 1977 but didn’t really take off. After a rethink and a relaunch including thousands of free samples, the item exploded onto the marketplace quickly making its way into offices across the world. Initially only available in canary yellow and three inch squares, the range soon developed into a myriad of different shapes and colors, some easier on the eye than others!

Go into any office in any town, in any country of the world and you will see these stuck to everything they can be.

This wide use and acceptance of this stationery item makes it an ideal subject for marketing. Businesses branding their own versions of these Post-It Notes will put their name in front of many people, spreading the word and marketing themselves.

By offering a use to marketing materials they are far more likely to be accepted and used in an office environment. This makes them an ideal way to advertise and market your business, products or services. Considering the main uses for these notes is to be written on and placed in conspicuous places as reminders lends itself well to advertising. What better way to market than place yourself on something that is already designed to be noticed and placed within sight of people?

What better way to make your name stick than use custom Post-It Notes to advertise yourself? PC Pro School liked the idea so much that they are now offering them to all their customers. You can upload a design, logo or text, we can create a design for you or use our PC Pro Schools Business Card Creator to design a logo and then upload it.

If you’re planning on designing your own, remember to keep it simple, and subtle. Limit the use of color and detail, but make sure the design can be easily recognized and understood. Lastly remember that the primary use of these is going to be as notes, so leave the majority of the space free for your prospects to write on.

Of course, like all the other PC Pro custom stationery, these aren’t limited to business use only. You can put whatever design or text on them you like. They are useful at home, in the home office, at school or college, or wherever you need reminding of something. Some people even use them in their cars!

Post-It Notes are so ubiquitous in our everyday lives that they are perfect candidates for personalization. No matter if you want to advertise yourself, your business or your family and friends. These are the ideal way to do it. You can almost guarantee that they will be used. Not many products can offer that kind of promise.

September 2nd, 2010

Custom PC Pro Schools

Water is the stuff of life. We all need it, we are all made of it and none of us can live without it. That’s why personalized cups, mugs and assorted receptacles are excellent ways of marketing a business, creating a brand, thanking staff, saying I love you or a million other messages you want to put out there.

A personalized PC Pro Schools is one of the smartest marketing tools a business can have. If someone doesn’t drink plain water, it’s going to be cola, tea or coffee. The country lives on coffee, so what better way to promote your business than having an advertisement for it right in front of your clients eyes. Even if it ends up holding pencils on a desk, at least you’re being advertised.

Giving your company and its brand exposure is the key to success in business. Utilizing every means at your disposal is the best way that it will produce results. They don’t have to break the bank, and even if the message doesn’t reach the client, they will certainly be appreciative of the gesture. So not only do you get low cost persistent advertising, you also build a relationship with the customer.

There are plenty of ways to personalize a PC Pro School. It can be as simple as uploading your current corporate brand, or creating one with our ThoughtMechanics Business Card Creator. The design you make on there can be easily uploaded for us to print on a mug. It offers the opportunity for a coherent brand identity across the board as well as marketing materials for your target market. If you have an office with other employees, having a few of your company branded mugs around is going to create a great atmosphere and a good impression for any visitors.

They are a great way of showing gratitude to employees too. It is hard to believe, but some employees don’t want cash as extra reward for doing well. Something meaningful like a personalized mug is a little bit different, and is a long term reminder of their success. You could include inspirational quotes on them to inspire staff, or make them laugh. They are a great way of getting a message across without being too obvious about it.

These cups or mugs don’t have to be for business either. They can be an ideal gift or something to use at home. Anyone who has worked in an office has had a mug go missing at least once or twice. Who would dare steal a personalized one that would be instantly recognizable?

They can be ideal gifts for younger people and children too. Have the mug printed with their name, their photograph or one of their favorite celebrity or pop star and you have an excellent present for any event.

Whatever the occasion, and whomever the recipient, personalized cups or mugs are a great way of saying something. What that something is, is up to you.

September 2nd, 2010

Colleges experience increased global enrollment

Many American universities are experiencing a record number of incoming international freshmen this semester. The surge in global enrollment may be due in part to an increased effort from a number of schools to accommodate international students.

Schools such as the University of Iowa have a larger growth of global learners than in previous years, The Des Moines Register reports. This year, the school is expecting a 54 percent increase in students from China, India, South Korea, Malaysia, Iraq and Turkey as a result of improved recruiting efforts in these countries.

In order to assist these learners with their move to the U.S., many universities are holding extended orientations. These programs are designed to provide international students with information about financial aid, campus safety, athletics and English as a Second Language courses.

These initiatives may be encouraging more global scholars to enroll in U.S. higher education, as the number of international students on American campuses grew by 7.7 percent during the 2008-2009 academic year, according to the Institute of International Education.ADNFCR-3053-ID-19934859-ADNFCR
Colleges experience increased global enrollment

August 30th, 2010

Muslim students flourish at American university

This month Muslims celebrate Ramadan, which is a time of fasting from dawn until sunset, and praying up to 12 times per day. For many Muslim students who are living in the U.S., this may be their first year celebrating Ramadan away from their families. However, a number of learners enjoy sharing this aspect of their culture with American friends.

For example, Adwan Alanazi, a Muslim student at the University of Missouri-Kansas City (UMKC) from Saudi Arabia, has taken the opportunity to explain the holiday to his fellow classmates, KansasCity.com reports.

Although Alanazi must fast during the day, he often shares a traditional Saudi meal with his friends at night. According to the news source, he is one of nearly 100 Saudi Arabian students at UMKC, which is the fastest growing international group on campus.

As often as seven days a week, Alanazi gets together in his apartment in south Kansas City with groups of college friends to discuss politics, religion, language and relationships.

“We just started talking and found out we have a lot in common,” Russell Savage, Alanazi’s friend, told KansasCity.com. “He is teaching me Arabic.”

Despite cultural differences, most international students engage socially with native and non-native learners.

A growing number of global scholars are studying in the U.S., as a total of 671,616 international students were enrolled at American universities during the 2008-2009 academic year, according to the Institute of International Education.ADNFCR-3053-ID-19932671-ADNFCR
Muslim students flourish at American university

August 29th, 2010

Community colleges seek to welcome international students

In order for international students to fully benefit from studying in the U.S., they may want to integrate themselves into their local communities. Many American colleges host orientations and promote international student organizations in an effort to help global scholars feel comfortable in their new country.

For example, Northcentral Technical College in Wisconsin runs a program in which 41 families act as mentors for international students and another 19 families host students in their homes, The Chronicle of Higher Education reports. If a mentor family is going on a picnic or to a baseball game, they can call Northcentral’s international office and invite students to join in.

Bonnie Bissonette, the associate dean of business and international education at Northcentral, said the college also encourages international students to do volunteer work starting at orientation, and these efforts help increase their confidence, according to the news source.

“We use a strong web of support for our students,” Bissonette told The Chronicle. “Right away they learn that by volunteering and getting out in the community, it helps them make connections with people.”

These programs introduce international learners to American customs, sports, cuisine and culture.

Recent estimates from the Pew Research Center suggest that community colleges enroll close to 44 percent of all U.S. undergraduates. They are some of the most diverse academic institutions in America, enrolling international students who come from more than 95 countries and speak 75 different languages.ADNFCR-3053-ID-19932667-ADNFCR
Community colleges seek to welcome international students

August 26th, 2010

University attracts international athletes

While many international students move to the U.S. in order to benefit from the academic challenges offered by American colleges, other global learners come for the opportunity to play competitive sports.

For example, the tennis team at Kansas State University (K-State) is comprised of women from Croatia, the Czech Republic, Germany, Slovenia and Spain, The K-State Collegian reports. Head coach Steve Bietau, who spent time recruiting both locally and overseas this summer, said the team gets so many international players because the U.S. is the only place to play sports at a college level.

“I liked the option of combining my education and playing tennis,” Olga Klimova, assistant coach and K-State alumna told the news source. “It’s a chance that you don’t get in Europe; you either have to study or you have to play professional tennis.”

Many international learners may be unaware of the opportunities that are available for college-level athletes. K-State offers financial aid in the form of scholarships to all of its student participants.

Global scholars are becoming increasingly present in U.S. higher education, as non-native learners constituted 3.7 percent of the total U.S. student population during the 2008-2009 academic year, according to the Institute of International Education.ADNFCR-3053-ID-19931753-ADNFCR
University attracts international athletes

August 26th, 2010

University prepares global students for new school year

Thousands of students from across the globe move to America each year in order to attend college. However, global learners may be unaware of the myriad international programs that universities in the U.S. have to offer.

For example, West Virginia University (WVU) is already welcoming the arrival of hundreds of freshmen from dozens of different countries, The Daily Anthenaeum reports. At this year’s International Orientation, organizations such as Friends of International Students, Women Across Cultures, WVU Libraries, Well WVU, International Student Organization and Student Accounts were available to offer advice to the incoming class.

Supriya Rajput, an economics major from India, said she wanted to learn more about the Indian student organizations on campus in hopes of meeting new friends, the news source reports.

“That’s the reason I wanted to join the [Indian Students Association], so that I might find someone from my hometown,” she told The Anthenaeum.

International students spent the earlier part of the week touring the campus and learning about American customs, roommates and banking in the U.S.

WVU currently has 1,035 international students enrolled from more than 100 countries. However, a total of 671,616 international students studied at American universities during the 2008-2009 academic year, according to the Institute of International Education.ADNFCR-3053-ID-19931757-ADNFCR
University prepares global students for new school year

August 26th, 2010

American university recognized for international diversity

A concern for some international students is that when they move to the U.S., they may be the only non-native learners in their school. However, many of the top American universities boast increasing rates of diversity and global student enrollment.

For example, the Polytechnic Institute of New York University (NYU-Poly) was recently named one of the most ethnically varied undergraduate institutions in the nation. The school ranked high on U.S. News and World Report’s lists of schools with racial diversity in their student body as well as colleges with high populations of international learners. No one ethnic group comprises a majority at NYU-Poly.

“In recent years, we increased our international scope and now, as part of the NYU Global Network University, our international role is becoming even stronger,” said Jerry M. Hultin, NYU president. “As a result, our academic commitment to invention, innovation and education prepares our students to return home and change societies throughout the world.”

Also, recent Payscale.com rankings reported that NYU-Poly engineering program graduates have some of the highest starting salaries among Northeastern schools. Median starting salary for NYU-Poly graduates was $62,100.

International students who aspire to obtain U.S. higher education in order to boost their potential earnings may benefit from enrolling in an ethnically diverse, academically challenging degree program.ADNFCR-3053-ID-19931115-ADNFCR
American university recognized for international diversity

August 26th, 2010

Community colleges experience record international enrollment

Community colleges offer many academic opportunities for international students. These institutions often provide global scholars with small class sizes, affordable tuition and community environment that many non-U.S. residents look for in a university.

Schools such as Davidson County Community College (DCCC) in Lexington, North Carolina are experiencing record numbers of international enrollments this year, WFMY News reports. The college has seen a 9 percent increase from last year, which is due in part to the number of scholarships DCCC awards to global scholars. The school is working with the Community College for International Development, which offers financial aid to learners from overseas.

Students from Pakistan, Ghana and Nicaragua will be arriving this fall. A Fulbright scholar from Macedonia will be teaching this semester as well.

“Having a diverse culture helps us understand students better, and I think it also helps us appreciate where we are,” Jeannine Woody, interim vice president for Academic Programs and Services, told the news source.

Recent estimates from the Pew Research Center suggest that community colleges enroll close to 44 percent of all U.S. undergraduates. They are some of the most diverse academic institutions in America, enrolling international students who come from more than 95 countries and speak 75 different languages.ADNFCR-3053-ID-19931116-ADNFCR
Community colleges experience record international enrollment

August 25th, 2010

University creates scholarship for Indian students

International students who wish to study in America may be inhibited by the costs associated with U.S. higher education. However, a number of financial aid opportunities are available for global scholars who wish to move to the U.S. in order to earn a degree.

For example, the University of Cincinnati (UC) is launching a $1 million undergraduate scholarship program for students from India, Education Diary reports. The university has nearly 2,000 international students and 650 are Indian.

“UC has always seen significant research contributions by Indian students,” Jonathan Weller, director of International Admissions told the news source. “We look forward to more interest from [these] students with the current investment.”

The scholarship is available to two promising students who have overcome substantial disadvantages during their educational pursuits. The UC Global Scholarship program also provides financial aid packages ranging from $1,000-$12,000 per year to international undergraduate students.

Many global scholars come to UC for its reputation in research. Scientists from the school created the first antihistamine, the first live polio vaccine and the first use of the YAG laser to remove a brain tumor.

A large number of tuition assistance opportunities exist for students who are studying in the U.S., as Sallie Mae – a provider of student loans – reports that more than $168 billion in financial aid was available during the 2008-2009 academic year.ADNFCR-3053-ID-19930327-ADNFCR
University creates scholarship for Indian students